I forgot all about the mess in the bottom of my oven.
Until my older daughter attempted to preheat it, that is.
It didn’t take long for billows of smoke to come furling from the closed door. Coughing and sputtering, we turned the oven off and threw open the windows and doors of the house.
Though the hazy air cleared within minutes, the acrid smell lingered.
We busied ourselves with the rest of our traveling preparations, and before long, the smell was gone.
When I returned inside after taking out the garbage and getting the mail, I was alarmed to realize that far from having dissipated, the smoky smell inside the house was as strong as ever.
It wasn’t gone, after all. I had just gotten used to it.
The Sins We Get Used To
I’m sure you’ve had experiences similar to the one I had in my kitchen a few days ago. When we’re immersed in a particular smell for any length of time, our brains stop processing it.
It occurs to me that we have this exact tendency when it comes to the sin in our lives.
God is so good to grant us the Holy Spirit, who is faithful to convict us when we sin. In fact, it’s one of His primary roles:
And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8)
Make no mistake – this conviction isn’t pleasant, but it’s a precious gift, because it’s the means by which we can repent of our sin and restore our fellowship with God.
But we don’t always see it that way, do we? We might instead suppress that conviction. And the thing about suppression is that it often becomes shunning. And when we shun it long enough, it’s silenced altogether.
So I can’t help but ask myself…
What sins have I gotten used to? Sins I don’t even notice anymore because they’ve been hanging around so long?
Here are four ways you and I can discern our spiritual blind spots and sensitize ourselves afresh to the conviction of the Holy Spirit:
1.)Spend time in prayer. Repent of your tendency to be hardhearted, and God will extend His forgiveness (I John 1:9). Ask Him to reveal to you any hidden sins. You might consider offering these biblical prayers to the Lord:
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24)Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:12-14)
2.)Ask loved ones. There’s a good chance that close family members and friends are aware of sinful tendencies you might have. Humbly approach them, and ask them to help you identify hidden sins.
3.)Study Scripture. The Bible has much to say about sins of commission (sinful things we do) and sins of omission (things we ought to do but don’t). You might find a resource like this helpful; it offers a list of sins to “put off,” as well as corresponding virtues we ought to “put on.” Prayerfully consider each one, repenting of and forsaking those you’re committing.
4.)Make confession a habit. Hallelujah, you and I don’t need a human intercessor; we already have a divine One (Hebrews 7:25-26). We can go to Him at any time, asking Him to search our heart, and repenting of sin He reveals. And guess what? He forgives us. Doing this frequently is an important aspect of keeping a tender heart before the Lord.
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
By the grace of God, we don’t have to sit and stew in the stench of our sin. Jesus died to save us from the penalty of sin in eternity, and from its power right now.
Will you praise Him with me for this great salvation? And let’s recommit to keeping our hearts pure before Him.
How true! I would add one more item that helps: to read your blog posts Jenn! Conviction hits me instantly when I read your inspired and encouraging posts, and many times I’ve stopped to pray and try to repent of my sin that gets brought up from considering my role in the subject matter I’m reading. It’s wonderful to have our Holy Spirit to gently tap me on the shoulder and ask me to consider my ways; it’s actually freeing to reveal the sin so that I can rid myself of it! I’m a work in progress. Have a great day!
Karen, I can’t tell you how much your words bless me and encourage me. God has truly used you this night to bolster my spirit. Above all, thank you for your example of “keeping short accounts” with God, confessing and repenting frequently so fellowship with God can be renewed. It’s one of the most important practices of a growing believer!
Jennifer, you nailed it with this post. We do become complacent with our sin. Years ago I began asking the Lord to show me anything that is not pleasing to Him…anything in my life and heart that is sin. Let me tell you, that is a prayer He will answer. I’m thankful that He does, although it is often painful in the moment to be confronted with my sin. Bless you for such a practical post!
YES, how good He is to answer that prayer! Your comment brought to mind the tail end of Jeremiah 17:9: “who can know it?” Apart from His grace, none of us can plumb the depths of our wickedness, can we?
Jennifer, thank you for your obedience in writing this difficult but so important truth. May we always be super-sensitive to the stench.
Super-sensitive to the stench…yes, indeed! Thank you for letting me know how this resonated with you, Christi.
I needed to readyour post today. Some days I feel like the devil is on my shoulder but the Holy Spirit stays close. I was blessed to know we all have those days and we do have a Savior. Keep writing for we need each other for strength. God Bless.
Isn’t our Savior wonderful? He saved us once and for all from the penalty of sin, and He keeps on saving us every day from its power. Thank you for sharing, Lynda!
Hi,about making repentance a habbit is very true and that is what has been keeping me going and spending much time in the word of God which exposes our sins.
the holy spirit much more convicts us of all our sins once we make him our true friend and walk in obedience to his ways.
thank you so much.
Very true, Joel! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
THANKS ALOT MOM I HAVE LEARN ALOT FROM U
I’m so glad this blessed you, Sam! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Great article! Those sins that I can convince myself are okay are the trickiest…I call them my “favorite sins”…the ones I may not recognize because I get so used to them. I guess we have all been there, but I love how you have laid out a plan to avoid the stinkiness altogether! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Nicole, and thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your sharing about your “favorite sins,” and your sensitivity to be aware of them in the first place. May God teach us to be holy, as He is holy!